VideoGamer.com chats with Lara Croft

A little way back we grabbed a quick ten-minute chat with Alison Carroll, the actress/gymnast/model who recently became the new Lara Croft. Read on for her thoughts on life as the First Lady of video game icons.

VideoGamer.com: So how long have you been Lara Croft now?

Alison Carroll: I was launched on August 11, so it’s been a bit of a manic couple of months, really! My life has just completely changed – my diary is unbelievable! I’ve been to some amazing places… I’ve been kind of going around Europe at the moment. I was in Poland at the weekend, and I was in Paris, Germany, Russia. And I’m going to Australia in a couple of weeks!

VideoGamer.com: So, are you enjoying it all?

AC: I’m just living the dream! This is my ideal role, to be playing an action heroine – and I’m getting to do gymnastics at the same time. So I’m laughing, it’s brilliant!

VideoGamer.com: Did you know the games well before you got the part?

AC: Yeah, I played Tomb Raider Anniversary, although I have to admit I’m not very good at it. I’m more an outdoors-y kind of person, but my brothers were Tomb Raider addicts. So I used to always sit there with them playing it and me looking over their shoulder and wanting to play.

VideoGamer.com: So if anyone had told you back then that you were going to play Lara Croft…

AC: …. I’d have never believed it. I mean, I was up against so many girls, so what are the chances? But here I am today, and I’m loving the experience.

VideoGamer.com: So how does it feel, then? There have been quite a few other Lara Crofts, including Angelina Jolie, no less…

AC: Yeah! There have been some really good models, and Angelina in the films, and they’ve all brought something new to the role – so it’s quite a challenge for me to think, “Well, I want to bring something new to it too”. But I feel that I’m doing that with my gymnastics, and the rock-climbing and scuba diving. And I horse ride too, although she doesn’t do that in the games. She did it in the films, but not in the game. But yeah, I really feel like I’m bringing Lara to life in another way!

VideoGamer.com: Apart from the Tomb Raider series, are you into games at all?

AC: Well like I said before, I’m much better at doing the real actions! [laughs] But I just got a Nintendo DS, which is perfect for when I’m going away, when I’m on the plane and everything. I’m really getting into Wacky Races! [more laughs]

VideoGamer.com: Oh yeah? Anything else?

AC: Oh bits and pieces. You’ll laugh, but I’ve been playing a pony game!

VideoGamer.com: Which one? There’s one pony game on our site that gets hundreds of hits on our forum – it’s pretty much the most popular thread we have! Is it called Pippa Funnell, or something like that…?

AC: [quietly] It’s called Pony Friends. [laughs]

VideoGamer.com: That’s quite some endorsement!

AC: I used to have a horse when I was younger… It’s probably better for younger people really!

VideoGamer.com: I know you’re probably a bit preoccupied with being Lara, but how do you see this fitting into your career? Or is that not something you’re thinking about yet?

AC: Well, to be honest I’m not really a model – this is the first modelling gig I’ve ever done. I’m an actress really, so I’m hoping that one day I might able to do some films and television. But you really need to see where it takes you. This is an amazing opportunity, so I’m just living it, really.

VideoGamer.com: What kind of stuff would you like to do, then? My parents are actors, and it’s a tough old life…

AC: It’s definitely a tough life. Because I’m an action kind of girl, I think I’d like to be doing action films, really. But I’m interested in doing lots of different things. Romantic comedies…

VideoGamer.com: Romantic action comedies, perhaps?

AC: Yeah! I’ve just done a film, actually…

VideoGamer.com: Oh yeah? What was that?

AC: It’s a horror film. It was only a small role though. It’s called Dog House.

VideoGamer.com: What is Dog House about, then?

AC: It’s about a group of guys that come to a village, and basically the village has been infected with a disease that only affects the women. It makes us hate men! [laughs]. So it’s like a comedy horror…

VideoGamer.com: And what role do you play?

AC: I’ve got a very small role… But it was really great to be on a film set, to take it all in. It was a really good learning experience.

VideoGamer.com: So would you say that films are what you’d like to do, ideally?

AC: Yeah. Coming from an acting background, it’s where I’d like to go.

VideoGamer.com: So if you could work with any director, who would you choose?

AC: Oh, goodness… Tim Burton! He’s pretty good. There are loads out there but I can’t think! I’m on the spot.

VideoGamer.com: Moving back to video games. What do you think about the games industry? I mean, it feels like gaming has grown massively over the past 10 years or so. It used to be regarded as this niche thing, but now it’s so big – and you get all these massive promo events, like the one we’re at today… Do you think that’s weird, at all?

AC: It’s great! I’ve been to a couple big events in Germany and France, and they’re huge! I had to have massive bodyguards just pushing everyone out of the way. And then when I was doing my performances people were climbing on the stage and everything. It’s a really cool experience, and it’s all just so surreal.

VideoGamer.com: I guess for any actress it must be strange to be identified with a character who’s well known, but to be identified with a character who is essentially a bunch of polygons… does that ever strike you as odd?

AC: No, not at all! I mean, i think it’s just an amazing opportunity to bring a games character to life. The role isn’t an acting role, an action role – it’s a mixture of everything. A modelling role too. It’s the ultimate job, really.

VideoGamer.com: Have you played much of the game?

AC: The new one, Underworld? Yeah, I’ve had sneaky previews. It’s really cool, because there’s so much more challenge and choice within the game. You’ve got the Kraken room. You go in, and there’s multiple ways of solving the puzzle, like if you were really there. You feel like you’re sharing the adventure with Lara Croft, because you’re inside her mind, thinking, “I’m going to go over there and do that bit”. You’re really solving it, whereas before it was quite a linear route. Now it’s not like that, you’re really sharing the adventure, which makes the puzzle solving more challenging.

VideoGamer.com: You’re a healthy, active kind of person. Do you think some people spend too long playing video games?

AC: I think it’s about getting a healthy balance. You play for a bit, then you go out and do the real thing! [laughs] Best of both worlds.

VideoGamer.com: This is a bit of a daft question, but I’m going to ask it anyway. What should someone do if they want to be the next Lara Croft. Not me, obviously – that would be quite hard without a lot of surgery. But what was the path that brought you here?

AC: Well, I’ve trained as a gymnast for 12 years, so you need to put a lot of work in. And I go running, go to the gym – all that sort of thing. You know, it’s tough. It’s really tough. And then I’m a trained actress, so you’ve got to do all of that. And you’ve got to look a bit like her – that helps! So there’s lots of things you have to do to take on the role. It’s quite a challenging role, and a daunting role to fill those boots. But I’m ready for it! [laughs].

VideoGamer.com: You seem to be! So where did you train, out of interest?

AC: I trained at the Urdang Academy. Musical theatre, so I can dance and sing and act! So whatever’s thrown at me, I can do it.

VideoGamer.com: So do you ever have to do those things? Singing Lara could be quite good…

AC: I did actually have to do a thing last week…

VideoGamer.com: Really?

AC: Yeah, it was quite funny. But we won’t go there!

Videogamer.com: Ah, go on…

AC: No, journalist! [laughs]

VideoGamer.com: Alright, off the record then…. [tape ends]

Tomb Raider: Underworld is out on November 21, on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, PS2, Wii and DS.